Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-06-02
THE WEDDING RING.
soine Notes Of Interest concornins IT'S
Antiquity and Importance. 49,.


Antiquity and importance. 49,.
From time immemorial. when men
and women have pliglted their troth.
a ring has been the token. either ex-
changed by both or given BY the lover
to his mistress, as sign Of their en-
gagement. In some nations this be-
trothal Is considered as binding as tho
marriage ceremony itsolf and is made
the occasion of rites almost as solemn
and important The ring, too. to bo
used at this time must be particularly
elaborate and even Of certain value.
This latter point used to be rigidly adj
hered 10, with even tho matter Of
weight added, q circumstance which
led to some engagement rings being
not only Of extremely beautiful work.
manship, but Of such massive make as
to be rather cumbrous, church or
Ike building sometimes protruding
from the front of the ring An ancient
engagement ring which served three
fold purpose, Of most ingenious shape
and form. was known as the gimmal.
or linked ring. Tho writer Of these
lines knows one such ring, which must
have passed through strange and man.
fold scenes in its time. since first it
played its part In some long bygone
betrothal. 1t was composed Of three
circles Of gold. so constructed that
when 1t closed 1t represented solid
ring, with the device in front OF two
hands clasping a heart. but capable of
being opened and split apart, so that
three rings are made Of the one. At
the bcthrotal ceremony in which o
gimmal was used the two outer rings
were taken by the contracting parties.
each having ono band. and the centre
or notchcd ring was retained by tho
witness Of the bond. who ut the time
appointed delivered up tho connecting
link, which was then attached to tho
two outside pieces and used as q hlar-
riage ring Mt the religious ceremony.
Wedding rings ut this period werc
not the plain bars Of gold theyare now;
sometimes they were adorned with
precious stones, but more frequently
the clasped hands and heart symbolizcd
tho Significance Of the marriage state,
and posics or words engraven inside
breathcd an appropriate sentiment re-
spocting the token. Here is ono sim
gularly suitable to wedding ring,
adorned with clasped hands: "Not
two. but one, till life be gone"
In some places the wedding ring was
on heirloom In the family. passing
down from mother TO daughter, from
generation to generation. tho mother
surrendering the ring 10 the first girl
In the family who married. This GUS
tom obtained in Galway. and probably
does still among the fisher folk OF that
wild district the device OF the riag
usually being the common one Of tho
two hands. surmountcd by crowned
heart Tho fourth finger Of the left
hand, counting the thumb as the first,
has among most nations been chosen
as the wedding finger, owing to q
popular belief that nerve In this par
ticular finger communicated directly
with the heart 1t was also for tho
same reason, held to possess mystic
powers Of healing. and still is used by
some people In stirring up medicine or
like potions. relic OF the old Greek
and Roman belief that no poison or
noxious element in . draught could
escape detection when agitated by this
finger. which would immediately dis
cover the "unfriendly element" by
means Of q warning spasm commune
Gated by the heart = London Queen